Taos Running History

Taos Marathon history

Since its inception in 1982, the continues to attracts runners who seek a quality event with a small race atmosphere. It is one of the few races that still gives cotton T-shirts! The first year's marathon champion was the late Wesley Smith of Gallup, NM with a time of 2hrs. 38 minutes, 2nd place was Steve Worshawer of Albuquerque, NM and 3rd was Bruce Gomez of Taos Pueblo. Participants have included Lionel Ortega Sr, Eloy Sandoval, Gus Cardenas (Los Amigos), who have completed the marathon numerous times in 60+ age category; Olympic marathon greats Tony Sandoval, and Gary Tuttle, mountain aces Senovio Torres and Jerry Martinez and women marathoners Carol Wildman, Janine Aiello and Anissa Dorschner, to name a few. Finishing times have varied from 2:34 to 5:20 for 26.2 Mi and 1:10 to 2:30 for the 13.1 Mi race. Runners from as far away as UK have participated.​​Race director Bruce Gomez is the current Taos High Cross-Country Coach and was recently inducted into the NM High School Track/ Cross-Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame. A graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder, he has been involved with the running community for over 45 years and has drawn inspiration from training with some of the finest runners of the 70s and 80s including Olympic Champion Frank Shorter. Shorter trained in Taos in the late 1960s and early 70s.